Confusing title? What’s equally confusing is the path the Mets have gone down these last couple of seasons and how it has led them to a point where they have no choice but to replace struggling players with players who are just as likely to struggle themselves. The details are in the team’s official press release:

The New York Mets today announced the club will select the contract of infielder Josh Satin from Las Vegas (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League, and recall outfielder Collin Cowgill and lefthanded pitcher Josh Edgin from Las Vegas prior to Tuesday’s game against St. Louis.

Satin, 28, entered play today with a .306 (66-216) average, nine home runs and 32 RBI in 58 games for the 51s. He appeared in 16 games with Mets over the previous two seasons, hitting .192 (5-26) with two RBI.

Photo by Michael G. Baron

Cowgill, 27, entered today having appeared in 31 games with the 51s, hitting .267 (32-120) with five home runs and 12 RBI. He made New York’s Opening Day roster and hit .157 (8-51)with two home runs and eight RBI in 19 games for the Mets.

Edgin, 26, made the Mets’ Opening Day roster, compiling a 0-1 record and a 9.64 ERA (10 earned runs/9.1 innings) in 11 games. He has been with Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League and Las Vegas, and entered play today with a 2-0 record and a 6.75 ERA (14 earned runs/18.2 innings) in 16 minor league games.

I’m not opposed to sending down Davis, Baxter, or Carson and sometimes ‘change for the sake of change’ can actually shake things up for a team. The frustrating part is that by promoting three guys who have proven to be wildly ineffective when given an opportunity in the past, it’s hard not to feel like the front office is really just spinning it’s wheels. This is not changing the deck, it’s simply reshuffling and frankly, the cards still aren’t very good. None of these players inspire optimism amongst fans and while it would be nice to see them play well this go around, it’s probably not likely. So what else can the team do to change things? Aside from signing the next Rick Ankiel that hits the market, very little. That’s where the problem is, the Metsecutives made the bed and now the fans are forced to lay in it. Sure, they’ll be changes like this but I won’t be surprised when Davis, Baxter, and Carson are recalled to replace Satin, Cowgill, and Edgin. It’s like going to the store and returning a shirt that’s too small but getting the exact same size. You know it won’t fit, but you just hope it will. I think Einstein had a word for that type of behavior, didn’t he?

As Alderson told the Daily News a few weeks ago, the Mets will spend the next seven weeks looking for hitters, especially outfielders, who are under control beyond this season. The Mets pursued Michael Bourn and Justin Upton last winter because they wanted to avoid building an entire outfield in one winter; the same philosophy will guide their deadline strategy this year.

Alderson acting so aggressively over the weekend to shake up his team can be read as the beginning of what we expected: The ballclub he assembled over the winter, which is horrible, will not be the ballclub for very long. The time for sitting idly while Terry Collins does his best to manage a deeply flawed roster is over.

What can Alderson do? Giancarlo Stanton and Carlos Gonzalez, both of whom the Mets covet, now seem more likely to be dealt in the offseason, if they are moved. The Marlins are still insisting they will keep Stanton, although few in baseball believe them.

The Rockies are surprisingly relevant, and don’t seem to have arrived at the right moment to blow up the franchise and deal one of its two faces. If that changes this summer, the Mets will be ready with their stash of young pitching, prepared to deal from strength.

The Dodgers’ Andre Ethier is a more realistic, but significantly less appealing possibility. According to major league sources, the Mets have considered Ethier at least since last year’s winter meetings, when they floated internally the idea of asking for him in an R.A. Dickey trade. Ethier appears to have become expendable in Los Angeles, but he is hardly a player who will transform the Mets’ lineup. Chicago’s Alex Rios is another option, as the White Sox will likely become sellers.

I’m cautiously optimistic, but far from sold. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me…..Mr. Alderson. The sad thing is that even in a market like New York, it’s likely that the Mets will be forced to overpay for top free agents in the future because the team is so bad, ala the Nationals prior to the signing of Jayson Werth and company. Who would have thought that this is how things would unfold when Omar and Jerry were ousted from town what seems like forever ago?

Comments

Nailed it with that brilliant headline. And also: we all felt a tremor of excitement at the initial announcement — the do-nothing GM is ready to act! — and then you watch this. Sigh.

Tommy2cat

It’s biblical – “Like a dog going back to it’s own vomit!”

MetsMusings

I feel that this is the direction they should have gone in last season. Give me these guys time to play and if they have it great, if not DFA them and bring someone else in. The thing to watch will be the movement in the minors. Will Leathersich stay or be moved to AAA. ? how about Puello?should be interesting

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